The Big Rig thread!

the robot boxes don't seem to min mountains here, and Norway is pretty much all lakes and mountains.

Yes, but as mentioned elsewhere, Europe seems to do tunnels, switchbacks and such instead of the rather steep passes we have. It is common for US highways to have turnouts on the *ascent* side of these passes to allow motorists and truckers to pull over and either let their overheating rig cool off or let other traffic pass.

16-18% grade is not uncommon for non-Interstate highways and I have more than once seen a 30% grade. Interstates are supposed to max out at 7% but there are exceptions.
 
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one of the first pictures doing a goole image search for norwegian roads:
trollstigen.jpg


Norway unlike other countries, haven't upgraded it's road network since the 50's or so :p
 
If that was a standard US highway, it would be "hey diddle diddle, straight up the middle" and NO switchbacks to reduce grade.

And that's why both the robot boxes and the earlier planetary (conventional) automatics never took off in US long-haul trucks. Trying to get them up one of these ends up with thermal failure of the operating fluid - in fact, it's not unknown for the Grapevine in California to kill automatics and roboboxes in cars.
 
First, those engines don't make 750 when they get over here, are tuned for US emissions standards, and have to run on our diesel. They make a lot less. There are also more powerful engines available here than that 455, as I'd mentioned in the other thread that spawned this one.

Second, go look at those cab dimensions again. Even if you exclude the engine compartment, our long-hauler tractor cabs are much, much larger. The trailers aren't all that much shorter than yours, either. Our laws do not include the tractor for maximum length.

Finally, robot boxes would be a lot more popular here if they would make one that could climb the Appalachians' or Rocky Mountains' passes at max legal weight without grenading. So far nobody has; they are, however, an item of interest in the short-haul and hot-shot truck world as they typically spend more time in city traffic and less on the highway.
Another thing of interest is that typically truck here haul standard sized containers that are sitting on top of the trailer for ease of loading/unloading so you are pretty much hauling whatever is in the container.
 
Yup, that's a fairly common sight this far inland, too. You also see intermodal trailers - where instead of having a separate container removed from the ship, put on a train, etc., etc., they take a conventional semi trailer and put it on a special train car, then ship it, wheels and all.

NS157680.jpg


Notice size of rail car and size of trailer.
 
Yep like so




 
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Yep like so





It was more of a point that actual size of the truck makes little difference as it has no capacity on its own so the "max goods per liter of fuel" argument doesn't make much sense.
 
I was replying to Spectres trailertrain. Max goods per liter is a function of the degree of filling (load efficiency) and overall capacity.

These have a low degree of filling (maximum 50%) but they are handy as you don't loose a trailer during loading and can deliver to businesses without a loading bay. Actually that's false, you could have 100% efficiency if you always picked up a loaded container at the same place as you deliver an empty one, but you need a constant flow to make that happen.



 
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the robot boxes don't seem to min mountains here, and Norway is pretty much all lakes and mountains.

I don't mind the semi-auto clutchless robots, but the full automatics can go die in a fire.

Like I told my boss when we were discussing requirements for our next generation of trucks and he indicated he wanted full auto's (rough translation) : If you get me an auto I will quit on the spot, just after I run you over in it. :p

Useless off-road, slow to react in city traffic, and a neverending reliability nightmare, no thank you.


That sideways container systhem is intresting, but a hookarm is still alot faster and needs less room, also quite alot cheaper I think. (this only works with containers that do not have to go on boats or trains)
 
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I've seen many of those sideways container trailers in Israel near the ports. Very cool stuff.

Also, some interesting trucks to contemplate:

Ford C (looks a bit sad):

1950-1959-ford-trucks-49.jpg


Renault Magnum:

renault-magnum-02.jpg


Kenworth Cab Beside Engine:

image1403.jpg
 
Why is it that British truck designers didn't get the streamlining memo written to them by the American truck designers?


Diamond+T+truck+014.jpg

They didn't have Ray Loewy and Art Deco didn't last terribly long there, something about a German house painter spoiling things.

PRR-S1-Loewy.jpg


PRR_S1.jpg


Loewy had an enormous influence on American design - his specialty was the quintessential streamlined look. Among many other things, he designed the classic Coke bottle shape and the Zippo lighter. Hard to overstate his influence on this side of the pond.
 
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But they have some kickass deco in italy.... But then again they probably have some deco trucks. They must, because they also had these:

lancia.jpg


Lancia_Esadelta_C.jpg


i339101.jpg


Yes, those are Lancia and Alfa trucks.
 
Yes, but the streamlined deco look was primarily an American thing.
 
AH! i love this thread!

this is the roads in Norway...

Now imagine when we get foreign drivers on these roads and those conditions... it tends to never go well, Lithuanian and Polish drivers.. with some kind of aversion towards chains, and proper tires, keep crashing here.
Leading to the video that made the rounds on teh intarmawebs, with the truck pulling the tow truck off a cliff.

How are Icelandic drivers? because i know there have been many Icelanders who have moved to Norway in the past oh ... lets say 4 years
 
AH! i love this thread!



How are Icelandic drivers? because i know there have been many Icelanders who have moved to Norway in the past oh ... lets say 4 years

i've yet to meet one that's a truck driver.
 
Truckdriving in Iceland must get boring fast with only one highway going around the entire Island :p
 
Renault Magnum:

renault-magnum-02.jpg
[/IMG]

You know how you can recognize a Renault Magnum driver? Bitemarks in the waybill. :D

The joke is that the driver has to climb up a ladder to get inside. (Corny, I know)
 
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